Wikipedia:
Rocket Red Brigade |
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The Rocket Red Brigade is a DC Comics superhero team. They first appeared in Green Lantern Corps #208 (January 1987), and were created by Steve Englehart and Joe Staton.
History
The Rocket Reds were originally created for the Soviet Union by Green Lantern Kilowog, the Rocket Red Brigade - normal human beings enhanced using "forced evolution" and armoured battle-suits - proudly defended the USSR.
Their abilities included super strength, invulnerability, flight (through rocket packs/boots), the ability to project powerful energy blasts and "mecha-empathy" - the ability to sense and control computers and machines (though to what extent it's not clear).
Rocket Red # 1
Decorated Russian soldier Josef Denisovich was a close friend of the alien Green Lantern Kilowog. He was also the first member of the Rocket Red Brigade. Josef was turned against Kilowog by the Soviet government, and died fighting Kilowog.
Rocket Red # 7
The man known as Vladimir Mikoyan turned out to be a Manhunter. Vladmir was the first Rocket Red admitted into Justice League International. During the Millennium event, he was exposed as a Manhunter android and destroyed by Booster Gold (with the assistance of the Justice League and a force of other, human, Rocket Reds).
Rocket Red # 4
Dimitri Pushkin (Rocket Red #4), became a member of the JLI after the previously assigned Rocket Red #7 was revealed to be a Manhunter android. A kind-hearted and jolly man with a taste for American culture, Dimitri served with the Justice League International for many years. When his armor was destroyed by Lobo, he replaced it with a more advanced model made on Apokolips. Dimitri also served with Justice League Europe for awhile as well, making friends with Animal Man, aka Buddy Baker, in a similar manner to the friendship of Blue Beetle and Booster Gold. Dimitri and Buddy initially bonded over their mutual families. In Justice League Europe #28 Dimitri was part of the small resistance against Starro because the alien could not take him over through his armor. Though Starro was defeated, Dimitri had surrended to him when the alien threatened to kill his family, whom it had already taken over. He was the only European on the team initially. He retired from super-heroics for a long time. He died in The OMAC Project, self-destructing to save the other members of the old JLI. His last words to Booster Gold were; "My wife and children, Michael...tell them I love them."
Apokaliptian Armor
Most of the Rocket Red Brigade disbanded after the fall of
Pozhar
While serving as a member of the Red Shadows, Mikhail Denisovitch Arkadin the Russian hero also known as Pozhar wore a modified suit of Rocket Red armor.
Russian Mafia
After the Soviet Union collapsed, the other Rocket Reds fell on hard times. Many of the suits ended up on the black market. As seen in the pages of Chase #3[1], some of the more unscrupulous Rocket Reds began working for the Russian Organizatsiya Mafiya in order to feed their families.
Vandal Savage
Later four of the suits came into the possession of Vandal Savage. He imprisoned three of the Titans, Jesse Quick, Arsenal, and Tempest, plus Supergirl, in them and used them as missiles. He managed to destroy the South American city of Montevideo, though Tempest managed to save himself. The other Titans were saved as well before their respective suits could detonate.
Rockets fly again
- See also: Villains United
Surviving members of the Rocket Red Brigade took their armor back from the Russian Army to fight the world prison break out during the events of Villains United. They also appeared protecting Russia's border in 52, wearing new, more advanced suits of armor. They were seen again One Year Later protecting Russia while hindering Green Lantern Hal Jordan's attempt to apprehend an interstellar criminal in Green Lantern #10. After the ensuing situation was resolved, the current Rocket Red #1 is even promoted as a possible Justice League member in the future, should the League plan to expand. Ice (comics) was hidden in a suit of Rocket Red armor during her regeneration.
Other media
- Rocket Red is seen briefly in various Justice League Unlimited cartoons, particularly in the episodes, "The Return" and "Panic in the Sky".
In "The Return", Rocket Red was one of the many heroes mobilized to defend Earth against the threat of Amazo. He was assigned to the second line of defence in the upper atmosphere, along with Supergirl, Fire and Red Tornado.
The team was subsequently attacked by Amazo during his search for Lex Luthor. After a head-on collision with Amazo, Supergirl became the first casualty of the battle and fell, unconscious, into the ocean. Rocket Red then attempted to stop Amazo by firing a massive barrage of missiles from his chest and shoulders. When this had little effect, Rocket Red opened fire with his shoulder-mounted Gatling gun and tried to retreat. However, Amazo pursued him and ripped the gun from his armour.
Later, Rocket Red would reappear briefly to carry the unconscious Fire out of the losing battle, moments before the last member of the team, Red Tornado, was destroyed by Amazo.
Rocket Red also was a Mattel Justice League Unlimited DC Superheroes action figure in a single pack.
See also
External links
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
